Dimitrov sets quarterfinal date with defending champ

Grigor Dimitrov is one of two first-time Wimbledon men's quarterfinalists to have already booked their place in the last eight at this year’s championships.

On another rainy day in London, the Bulgarian proved up to the test of Argentine Leonardo Mayer’s big serve as he progressed 64 76(6) 62 to book a date with home hero Andy Murray in the quarterfinals.

Dimitrov, who will face Murray in a blockbuster match-up on Wednesday, is confident that he can hold his own in front of what is sure to be a partisan home crowd.

“I know him,” he said. “I've practiced against him many times. We kind of know our game pretty well. I'm just going to play my game. I'm not going to step back. I just want to come out with my big game and play my aggressive tennis.”

Murray, for his part, made light work of what could have been a tough opponent in the big-serving South African Kevin Anderson. The Brit preserved his perfect record at this year’s Wimbledon with a 64 63 76(6) victory.

Last year’s runner-up, Novak Djokovic, added fuel to the argument that he could be the player to watch in this year’s championships with a straight sets victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, which was clinched with an outstanding return winner.

The Serbian will face Marin Cilic, appearing in his first Wimbledon quarterfinal, after the Croatian overcame Jeremy Chardy on Monday.

There were also three men’s third round matches to complete on Monday, with wins for No. 5 Stan Wawrinka, No. 10 Kei Nishikori and No. 19 Feliciano Lopez.

In the women’s draw, history was made as three Czech women progressed to the last eight at a Grand Slam for the first time.

Petra Kvitova, Lucie Safarova and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova make up three of the four quarterfinal spots in the bottom half of the draw, with the other being occupied by Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova, who knocked out No. 4 seed Agnieszka Radwanska 63 60 on Monday.

Kvitova will play Zahlavova Strycova to guarantee at least one Czech in the semifinals, while Safarova plays Makarova in the other match-up.

In the top half of the draw, only one woman managed to book her place in the last eight and that was 2012 junior Wimbledon champion Eugenie Bouchard, who is looking to reach her third consecutive Grand Slam semifinal in just her second year of competing at the majors.